Travel – New Worlds – New People – New Foods

When I travel to St. Paul, MN, I always enjoy looking for these wonderful buildings. I am always amazed at how they have stood the winds of time, and are still like viewing art. Hope you enjoy what I see.

Cathedral of St. Paul, MN

The building: The present building, the fourth, dates from 1905 and is the work of the French architect Emmanuel Louis Masqueray, chief designer of the 1904 World’s Fair in St Louis. The cathedral is a beautiful example of classical Renaissance French architecture and is lovingly described in great detail on their website. There is no hyperbole in saying this building is BIG – it must surely be one of the largest cathedrals in North America. Depending on the seating arrangement, it can hold between 3000-4000 worshipers. Even with modern day electric lighting, the interior is dim. With gas lighting, masses under the old Latin rite must have presented an almost medieval aura – and a visually stunning, sensory experience. Added to the church in 1987 were five large bronze bells cast in France, replacing the original single bell which, according to a former rector, was “not loud enough to scare a pigeon.” The church: In 1840 a missionary priest, Father Lucien Galtier, was sent to minister to the rough-and-tumble French Canadians living in a settlement known as Pig’s Eye, in a place called Minnesota – not yet one of the United States. Father Galtier built a wooden chapel with unshaven sides and a bark-covered roof in an area thick with trees and bramble. He placed the community and the chapel under the patronage of St Paul as patron saint of gentiles, praying that the residents would come to call the place St Paul instead of Pig’s Eye – which they did! The settlement quickly outgrew its humble chapel, and a larger one was built just three years later. In 1851 the Diocese of St Paul was formed by Pope Piux IX and the new chapel – already bulging at the seams with its ever-expanding congregation – suddenly became a cathedral. On May 11, 1858, Minnesota became the 32nd state to be admitted into the United States, and mass was celebrated at a new stone cathedral a month later. But St Paul continued to prosper and grow, and by the turn of the century what had now become the Archdiocese of St Paul once again needed a new, more spacious cathedral building – a need fulfilled at last with the consecration of the present building in 1958 at a five-hour ceremony! Today, the cathedral serves a multi-ethnic community though I could find no mention in the bulletin of special masses for non-English communicants. Based on the activities listed in the bulletin, this seems primarily to be an adult worshiping community. The cathedral sponsors a variety of ministries all enumerated in detail on their website.

Chicago is one of my favorite cities to visit. We mentor a fellowship there, and have enjoyed the people, the wonderful sites, and of course the architecture. I ate my first Chicago Hot Dog – boy was it good. Writing about it makes me want one now.

The following is a few pics of the art and buildings we enjoyed seeing. The first is The Bean. I love how part of the city is reflected in The Bean. It is an amazing piece of art.

The next is the Stair Case at the Rookery. Legend has it that the Rookery Building got its name because birds liked to roost atop the structure that formerly sat on this site. John Root created this building, arguably Chicago’s most beautiful work of architecture, in 1888. The Rookery’s interior received a major renovation in 1905 by another great architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. In the 1980s, the building was threatened by developers looking to make way for a more modern facility. Thankfully, it was quickly declared a national landmark and is now prohibited from being torn down.

As one of the most historically significant buildings in Chicago, The Rookery is a unique enclave for businesses that value a prestigious presence. An icon in the center of Chicago’s downtown Financial District, The Rookery seamlessly combines the flair of an era gone by with state-of-the-art building systems and technology. Designated a Chicago Landmark in 1972 after being added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, The Rookery is universally considered an architectural masterpiece.

My Lady Donna and our friends Riccardo and Yvonne on our Visit to the many sights of Chicago.

I get to travel, for business, to Wichita, KS every couple of months. It is a city of a half of million people. Driving through it, some would think it to be a very plain city, with not much to see. However all cities are interesting, first for the reason that there are people, buildings, rivers, architect and much more to enjoy in every city.

My lady – Donna loves post cards – so here is one for you baby.

Wichita is really a hidden architectural gem, with preserved neighborhoods representing nearly every American architectural movement from the 1880s (or even before) to the present day. The following is a picture of the children’s museum Exploration Place, located just west of downtown Wichita on the Arkansas River. It is a spectacular building.

The following is one of Warren Theaters Locations in Wichita, KS – We have a new one in Moore, Oklahoma, which is supposed to be the largest in the country. Donna and I enjoy going there often. They wear nice uniforms, open the door for the patrons, and serve meals in the balcony for adults. It is a very nice place – digital projectors, rocking temper-pedic chairs and much more.

One of our Cemeteries in Wichita that is part of the Dignity Memorial Network family, is Resthaven Cemetery and Funeral Home. One of my favorite land marks is our Wings of Freedom, done in bronze. It is magnifcent!

I started this Blog to share my experiences in Living Life Now all around the world. I love to travel, for the reason that it exposes me to people who otherwise I would never meet and places that beckon me to come. I see a world that is much larger than my world. I relax my thoughts while flying, and then receive great inspiration of spirit and mind. Up in the air is where I was born to dwell – in spirit and in body.

I am learning to eat Sushi, and I enjoy it very much. I started with avocado, crab and THAT IS IT! However, I have gotten braver and treated my taste buds to more choices. I have found that what I thought, might be terrible to eat, I crave now. This was a first for me on this trip, and now I am ready to explore more options. I love Sushi – want to go eat some.

It was completed and raised to the roof of the capitol in 1906. The four horses represent the power of nature: earth, wind, fire, and water. The women riding in the back of the chariot symbolize civilization while the man standing at the front of the chariot represents prosperity. In 1994 and 1995, the statues underwent a restoration procedure which included replacing the gold leaf on the figures. A sphere perched above the capitol dome also has similar treatment.